After a really full day doing Art Drop Denver yesterday, today I awoke with no small amount of trepidation. I was tired from the day before, knew we had a busy day ahead and was full of doubts as to how it would go. Today was Start School Day.
For 5 years now, we’ve operated fairly loosely as a family. We’ve stuck to a pretty rigid nap/sleep structure, especially when Sugarplum was little, but as far as how our days flow there hasn’t been a ton of rigidity. Sometimes, it’s been wonderful. Sometimes it’s left me feeling completely untethered and manic – some days we’re out and some days we’re home and some days I’m screaming because OH MY GOSH YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE ENTERTAINED EVERY SECOND.
But today, that all changed. Today we embarked on a new adventure of homeschooling. Sugarplum is five now, and Mighty Guy is three. It’s time we begin something a little more formal (although the name of the game for us is going to be relaxed and fun). We’ll be loosely following a curriculum called A Year of Playing Skillfully, while adding in some Bible reading, more book reading, lots of trips to the zoo for whatever purpose I deem necessary (I’m sure some days will be A Field Trip for Mama’s Sanity), some music, etc. I’m planning on trying to do “math” and numbers on Mondays, letters and language on Wednesdays and science on Fridays. And while it all sounds reasonable and do-able, I must admit, the reality scares me.
I’m not a teacher. I don’t really have any experience with kids other than my own, and I have never strongly had a desire to homeschool – other than to avoid germs and the influence of other kids 😉 The structure of reading to my kids every day, foregoing my online shopping time or my sit-in-silence-and-drink-coffee-time, having set days we do certain subjects…it’s all a little daunting.
But, after reading the story of Noah’s ark to my kids, gathering them for swim lessons for the Bigs and picking up pumpkin spice steamers to celebrate, it was time. No sooner than I had printed some Noah’s ark and rainbow coloring pages, but it all went to hell. Mighty Guy spilled his precious pumpkin steamer and freaked out – screaming and sobbing. The baby found a packing tape dispenser and ran around trying to either tape everything in sight or cut himself with the sharp edge. Sugarplum made suggestions of everything she could do with every art supply we own while watching Superhero Girls. The baby pooped, twice, and just sat down and screamed until I changed him. Meanwhile everyone needed food at the left temperature (heaven forbid you don’t hear me say it’s hot and get burned and throw it all to the ground…) It was a bit of a cluster.
But, after 10 minutes of guided coloring, talking about the letters of ROY G BIV and going over colors…we finally settled a bit. The steamer got cleaned up, the baby got cleaned up, the big kids got settled down, and we even got a couple “first day” interviews done and pictures taken.
Admittedly, I don’t really know what I’m doing. We’re starting this new chapter in our lives on a wing and prayer. I’m a ball of emotions, but trying to be rational and calm and realistic. This is good for them. They’re excited and being challenged. It’s good for me, and though it’s going to be really hard, I expect it’s going to be surprisingly sweet time with my kids. In a year, we’ll re-evaluate. We’ll figure out if it’s working, if it’s not, what we can improve on, or if home schooling is something better left to others. I’m not equipped and I’m not ready, but my kids are growing up and formal school is starting, ready or not.
The Natural Lens 